Food News for August 2021

Dear ,

I am having a busy summer. I started auditing farmers for Lanco GAP services. This is a Harmonized GAP Plus program and every time I visit a new farm, I learn something. I really enjoy meeting the farmers and seeing what actually happens to our fresh produce and I really impressed with how hard farmers work to get food on to our tables. If you are interested in learning more about this, please email me.

I recently read an article about automation of farming which talks about farms being factories without roofs. Um, just no! Now I am concerned about food production becoming more and more technology-based, standardized, while losing the variety I love. The taste of freshly picked corn in my farm box from my Community Supported Agriculture or the texture of freshly baked bread either from my own kitchen or from a local bakery. I don't want everything to be consistent every time I eat it; I want to be reminded that other people worked hard to get food to my kitchen and plate. 

What will the future of our food be?

Regulatory News

FDA gluten-free rules for hydrolyzed and fermented food is for foods such as yogurt, sauerkraut, pickles, cheese, green olives, vinegar, beers, wine and hydrolyzed plant proteins used to improve flavor or texture in processed foods such as soups, sauces, and seasonings. Distilled foods, such as distilled vinegars, are also discussed in the final rule. This final rule adds compliance recommendations for these foods which cannot be tested for gluten because the fermentation or distillation process denatures proteins. If you have any further questions, we can chat!

 

Recommended Books

I heard an interview about the book Inflamed: Deep Medicine and the Anatomy of Injustice by Rupa Marya and Raj Patel. I am looking forward to reading it over the next few months. 

Food Safety Mid Atlantic News

I've been focusing on writing my book this summer and the topic that I was writing was food safety! I am now writing about resilience and food. I am enjoying connecting the resilience used by material scientists, which is essentially measuring the ability of material to bounce back after being crushed or stretched - the elasticity of the material if you will, and the idea of personal or societal resilience to climate change and related weather disasters.  

If you have any food safety questions or concerns, please book a time for a chat. I love the opportunity to support you and your businesses.

All the best,
Cathy